This specification relates to computer aided design and, in particular, to managing design data of computer aided design systems.
Computer-aided design (CAD) systems utilize computers to allow users to create and modify designs of physical parts, piping systems, machines, and buildings, for example. The designs can be represented as three-dimensional (3-D) objects using solid modeling techniques implemented by different types of software. Solid modeling techniques model physical objects using so-called solid objects. A solid object is an object that represents the volume of a physical object and is formed by the application of one or more geometric primitives (e.g., box, wedge, cone, cylinder, sphere, and so on). Solid objects have can associated parameters that allow the solid objects to behave in ways during simulations that are consistent with the physical behavior of corresponding real objects. This allows CAD systems to provide simulation, planning and verification of manufacture and assembly. A model comprises one or more solid objects. Each CAD system can generate models in a data format that is different than that of the other CAD systems.